From: Rubia Balbi
7 April 2008
I'm a 25-year-old Brazilian girl and as a Baez fan I found out about Mimi
and the organization she founded, Bread and Roses, this year. Her voice
enchanted me at first, then her heart. I got upset when I found out she
had died so early. However, the fact that her ideas will be always alive
comforts me. Unfortunately, here in Brazil, especially in Manaus, Amazonas,
most people don't know her nor even Joan. Besides me, I don't know anyone
who has ever heard about them. I try to introduce their music, voices and
their work as citizens of the world and freedom to my mates. Thank you
for providing more information about Mimi and Richard on this site.
Rubia Balbi - Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
From: Alexander Randall 5th
4 June 2007
I adored Richard and Mimi. Dopico was the theme music of my radio show for
years. As an undergraduate at Princeton in the 1970's, I ran a music
production enterprise, matching musicians and forming bands. I owned a PA
system and bands coalesced around my gear. The enterprise ran under the name
of Louie Motherball Productions and I had that moniker written
on the side of my VW Bus.
My classmates thought that WAS my name and to this day, class notes include
(Louie Motherball) after my real name. So many places, I drove that bus and
folks would come up to me asking for Snow Comfort.
Richard's Dulcimer shimmered.
Alexander Randall 5th - AKA Louie Motherball.
From: John Conolley
12 May 2007
I'm glad I found your website. I'm a longtime fan. The
songs of Richard Fariņa reach a wild place in me that
no other poet or songwriter... or artist of any
kind... has ever reached.
John Conolley
Altamonte Springs, Fla.
From: Laurence Alpert
06 April 2007
Bold Marauder, The Swallow Song, Pack up your Sorrows, Dopico, Children of
Darkness, Quiet Joys of Brotherhood. Need I say anymore about the greatness
of Richard and Mimi Fariņa. Only Sandy
Denny and Nick Drake rival in importance to me musically. One highlight was
seeing Sandy Denny do Quiet Joys of Brotherhood at Cornell Folk Festival
around 1972/73 with apparently Mimi Farina in attendance at the show.
Laurence Alpert
Washington D.C.
From: Britt Brown
14 March 2007
I was touched by your website. One of those
experiences on the internet that happens every so
often. You seem a kindred spirit who noticed the
people I noticed. Nice not to be alone.
Quite revealing. Particularly the timeline. Many
thanks.
Britt Brown
Portland, OR
From: Monique Cortez
2 July 2006
Thank you so much for putting this website together. At school I can finally
show everyone who Mimi Farina is and what she's all about. Can't wait for more
updates!
From: Jim Seal
4 January 2006
Greetings from England. Sometime during the early Seventies a friend of mine brought around a copy of
Celebrations for a Grey Day for me to listen to. I had never heard the
Fariņas before but was blown away by the beauty and inventiveness of the music.
This album has always remained close to my heart and is my favourite out of all
of Richard and Mimi's recordings.
I am going to try to get a copy of Mimi's Solo album, as I've never
heard it and it also features one of my all-time musical heroes, Lowell Levinger.
Very pleased to hear that these two got together and performed for so many
people. Best wishes to all of the Richard and Mimi fans in the U.S. and I really
hope that Take Heart gets a CD re-issue.
Jim Seal
Nottingham, England, United Kingdom
From: Doris Williams
10 August 2005
I am so grateful for finding this website. I just on
a whim checked out the 3-CD Fariņa set from the library and am absolutely
entranced, amazed, delighted and enthralled by listening to their
haunting, meaningful, fun, political and danceable music. I
had heard "Pack up your Sorrows" at friend's jam sessions and now I know
where it comes from! I am also mesmerized by "The Quiet Joys of
Brotherhood". Making up my own dance to it.
Viewed the photos of Mimi - absolutely breathtaking, beautiful girl, almost
hauntingly beautiful, not really of this world. I regret missing
them altogether, I was too young to hear about them. I was not into
folk music at the time, and now at 44 I am discovering the rich treasure
of American folk of the 60s. I am also a singer and play piano and love
to dance!
From: BJK
12 July 2005
I recently read Richard Fariņa's novel Been Down So
Long... and was
absolutely blown away by the complexity of the
narrative. Fariņa shifts
from subjective to objective viewpoints with seamless
ease and the variety
of writing styles or "voices" present within the text
is astonishing.
After finishing his novel, I read David Hajdu's
Positively 4th Street and
was equally impressed with Fariņa as an unfiltered
personality outside of
the novel. Sure, he seems to have been a little
overbearing and obnoxious
at times. Still, I think it would be hard to argue
that these traits aren't
necessary and commonly present 'quirks' within truly
inspired individuals
who stop at nothing to achieve their goals.
The sheer amount of artistic output that this man
created during his 20's is
awe-inspiring. If only every person with creative
inklings were to approach
their art with such determination and inspiration.
Fariņa should be remembered for many years to come.
Finally, a word has to be said about this site and its
creator:
This was an invaluable resource for myself - and no
doubt many others - when
delving into the life and work of Richard Fariņa.
Sites like these are
truly a labor of love and without them I'm afraid that
most people would be
in the dark regarding important artistic figures that
haven't always been
given their due. Bravo!
The only suggestion that I have is concerning lyrics
for Richard & Mimi
Fariņa's music. If I'm not mistaken, there are none
featured here ... which
is unfortunate as they are no doubt a major aspect of
Fariņa's literary
career. Something to think about for the future
perhaps.
In the meantime, keep up the good work!
REPLY:
Regarding the lyrics, I have refrained from printing them because of copyright
restrictions. But you are right that they are a major aspect of his literary
career. Perhaps I will discuss them in an essay one of these days.
Thanks for your enthusiastic comments about Fariņa and the Website. --Doug
From: Carol Lynn McLean
26 March 2005
In my late teens in the late 60's I began buying the albums of Richard and Mimi that I had been hearing on the local "underground" (what FM was then called) radio station, and played them over and over amongst my otherwise solid rock and psychedelic collection. I thought they were way ahead of Dylan in the variety and content their style encompassed and I always think of "Morgan The Pirate" whenever Dylan comes up.
I was considerably envious of Mimi - her natural beauty, being involved in the arts, having a famous sister, and being one of the few women to perform now and then at the same place as Cipollina!
We are told not to look back, but when there is less and less of what we admire in front of us, there is little else to do. Whatever the downside of the Internet may be I am pleased to find it providing so many areas, like this site for the Fariņas, that make it effortless to once in a while call up a time that meant so much. - Lynn
From: Bernie Schwartz, Ph.D.
20 March 2005
I met Mimi once while working at Fred Segal's, a well known men's store in L.A. Many showbiz personalities passed through, everyone from Dylan to Steve
McQueen. One day a couple came in and the young lady smiled so
warmly at me that--well, as they say, it "made my day." I never spoke to
either of them, but that smile stayed with me. A few days later I went to
a folk club in L.A., The Ash Grove, to hear a group I had heard on the
radio, Richard and Mimi Fariņa. Lo and behold, it was the couple I'd seen at the store.
From that time on, I closely followed her personal and
professional career. Several decades later, I was talking to an age-mate, and mentioned the folk groups I had seen at the Ash Grove, including Richard
and Mimi. He then said the following to me:
"My father was a well known professor at Cornell (Uri Bronfenbrenner), and
he had a passion for folk music and had a college club where many famous
folksingers appeared. One night Richard and Mimi performed. And when I met
her, the strangest thing happened: she smiled at me with so much warmth, that I have never forgotten it. And I followed her career from that time on."
I replied: "I think I know what you mean," and I told him my west coast
version of his east coast story.
I can only wonder how many other people were touched by the warmth of Mimi's smile -
Bernie Schwartz
From: Leslie
19 March 2005
I'd like to thank Douglas Cooke for putting together this wonderful tribute to
Richard and Mimi. This website is amazing and I can't wait to see what else will
be added to it.
peace, Leslie
From: Janet Carmona
09 March 2005
Hello!! My name is Janet and I would just like to stop
by and say "hi". I
would also like to thank Douglas Cooke for putting
together this wonderful
website so that the memory and music of Richard and
Mimi Fariņa can stay
alive forever!! "If somehow you can pack up your
sorrows..."
Janet~